TON Foundation hires former Visa executive
Former Visa executive Nikola Plecas joins TON as VP of payments
The Open Network Foundation has named former Visa executive Nikola Plecas as its new vice president of payments.
Plecas will lead the development of TON’s payment infrastructure as the foundation expands services for Telegram’s more than 1 billion users, reports Cointelegraph.
His role includes managing global financial partnerships, overseeing regulatory compliance, and designing scalable systems to meet growing demand. Plecas described the appointment as a chance to “shape the future of payments on a truly global scale.”
Building a robust payment architecture
Plecas is tasked with building a payments architecture that is globally interoperable and resilient enough for enterprise, developer, and end-user demands. During his tenure at Visa, he spearheaded digital currency initiatives, helped improve fiat-to-crypto on-ramps, and worked on engagement models for European markets.
He also led multiple fintech and crypto issuance efforts and represented Visa at major industry events. His experience is expected to play a critical role in expanding TON’s capabilities and boosting adoption.
Payments central to TON’s roadmap
TON Foundation CEO Max Crown emphasized that payments are a key pillar of the network’s strategy. He praised Plecas’s experience and leadership as essential for accelerating TON’s global growth. The hire underscores TON’s ambition to evolve into a mainstream blockchain payments solution. While the foundation has not yet responded to media inquiries, the appointment signals a growing focus on financial infrastructure to support the network’s rapid expansion.
Recently we wrote that The Open Network Foundation (TON Foundation) has secured over $400 million in funding through a token sale, attracting investments from major venture capital firms.
